Emergency rain coat



July 6, 1937. J. R. BATES EMERGENCY RAINCOA'I' Filed March 27, 1936 .Znve? 2/22. 73

w upwsn Patented July 6', 1937 UNETED TATES PATENT orrlea EMERGENCY RAIN COAT Application March 27, 1936, Serial No. 71,204

5 Claims.

This invention relates to rain protectors, and more particularly to emergency rain protectors or rain coats made of water-proofed paper or the like and which can be sold cheaply for a single use and then thrown away if desired.

As is well known rain often comes up on short notice and when one is not prepared. The rain coat of the present invention can be made cheaply and sold for a small amount. It is of especial value at large outdoor gatherings such as baseball games, football games, race tracks, fairs and many other occasions where a greater or less number of people assemble without adequate rain protection. At such times, when it does rain, all that is wanted is something for emergency use and at a small price.

Among the objects of this invention is to accomplish the above purpose, and at a small cost to the purchaser, but at the same time afford efficient protection from the rain.

A further object is to provide such a rain coat that is quick and easy to put on, and that will serve as an emergency substitute for the usual rain coat, umbrella or the like.

Another object is to provide such an emergency rain protector that it will give ample protection against rain, wet clothes, snow, chilling winds, and the like, and yet cost so little that it can be thrown away after one use if desired.

Still another object is to make possible such a temporary rain coat that is free from buttons, buttonholes, strings or other similar fastening attachments, and yet can be quickly and satisfactorily fastened for the use intended.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities will later more fully appear.

My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangements of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and while I have shown therein a preferred embodiment, I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a piece of water-proofed paper from which one of my rain coats is to be made, and laid out fiat prior to' beginning the folding operations.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the top part and the two vertical edge portions folded over.

Fig. 3 shows the paper blank in further stages of folding.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the coat prior to folding over the shoulder flaps.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the shoulder flap in the upper lefthand corner as being folded over, and staples added to certain of the parts for stiffening and holding purposes.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the finished rain coat and with the front edges overlapping to hold.

the front of the coat closed as when being worn.

Fig. 7 is a rear view of the finished coat with the shoulder flaps folded in place and stapled.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows the piece I of water-proofed paper or the like, from which the coat is to be made, laid out fiat prior to being folded, the lines along which the folds are to be made being shown in dotted lines. At a slight distance down from the top of the righthand edge portion there is formed the slit or cutaway portion 2 that extends from the edge 3 to the fold line a. The sheet or blank i is first folded inwardly (toward the eye) along the fold line b from edge to edge. It is next folded inwardly alongthe vertical fold line a and then outwardly (away from the eye) along the fold line 0, which places the sheet in the folded condition shown in Fig. 2.

Next the two top corners are folded inwardly (toward the eye) along the slanting fold lines (1 and e respectively, and the left-hand portion folded inwardly along the fold line f, after which the sheet appears as shown in Fig. 3. The righthand side (Fig. 3) is then folded inwardly (toward'the eye) along the fold line g which brings it into the condition shown fragmentarily in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 5 staples i, or other suitable fastening means are applied wherever desired to prevent certain folded portions from tending unduly to open up or unfold. For illustration these stapled, or fastened portions, are shown at the top diagonal folds'of Fig. 5, at the top and also near the middle of the vertical flap 5 of the lefthand side of the front and near the middle of the vertical flap 6 of the righthand side of the front, which righthand side is brought to its proper position in front by folding inwardly along the fold line g as explained above and shown in Fig. 4.

The shoulder flaps l and 8 are formed by folding the upper lefthand corner of Fig. 4 rearwardly along the fold line h and the upper righthand corner of Fig. 4 rearwardly (away from the eye) along the fold line 2', to bring these shoulder flaps into the position Shown in Fig. '7 which is an elevational view of the back side of the coat. It is here pointed out that the bottom lines 9 and IU of the shoulder flaps I and 8 slope or incline downwardly toward the middle of the back of the coat so that any water thatmay be driven into or otherwise inadvertently enter the inside space between the outer and inner portions of these shoulder flaps will be drained to the outside of the coat instead of running inwardly to the shoulders of the wearer. This tendency of moisture to run inwardly'in the shoulder flaps is further discouraged by the staples, or the like :3, at the shoulders.

In putting on this coat the front is opened up, the coat placed around the body of the wearer and the righthand front flap 6 hooked (throughout its length) over the lefthand front flap 5, the staples 4 giving enough rigidity to retain these flaps together after being thus positioned. If desired the wearer can further hold these front flaps together with the hand. This hooking of the flap 6 over the flap 5 in closing the coat is facilitated by the presence of the slit or cutaway portion 2 at the top which gives greater freedom of the upper portions of the flap 6.

While I have mentioned paper as one material of which my coat can be made, I wish it understood that other material of sufficient cheapness may be used. The paper, or othersuitable material, will be water-proofed to shed water, and due to the cheapness of the coat it may be thrown away after one use if desired, and yet be of great usefulness during that one use because of the sudden and pressing need for the same.

Those portions of the coat receiving the most strain, such as the collar, the shoulders and the front vertical opening are reinforced by doubling over the paper, hence the coat of the present invention has sufficient durability to readily last throughout the emergency use for which it is intended. The staples add further to such reinforcement.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. Anemergency rain coat made of waterproofed paper or the like, formed from a single sheet of paper and having folds to form a neck opening, shoulder flaps and a front vertical opening, the material forming the two sides of the front vertical opening being folded one inwardly and one outwardly so that the free edge of the fold on one side may be hooked over the free edge of the fold of the other side to hold the coat closed, and staples or the like near the closed edge of the folds of the folded portions of the two sides of the front vertical opening to give sufficient stiffness for holding the coat closed when the said free edges are hooked together.

2. A rain coat made of water-proofed paper or the like, and having folds forming a collar portion, reinforced shoulder portions, and'a vertical opening in the front, the two vertical edges of the opening comprising folded over flaps, one of said flaps being folded inwardly and the other of said flaps being folded outwardly, the flap on one side having its top edge fastened to the body of the coat, and the flap on the other side having its top edge free from the body of the coat, whereby the last mentioned flap may be hooked over the first mentioned flap to hold the coat closed.

3. In an emergency rain coat made of waterproofed paper or the like, formed from a single .sheet of paper with the top edge folded over along a longitudinal fold line and the two side portions folded forwardly along two spaced vertical fold lines, the two upper outer corners being folded rearwardly along diagonal fold lines to form shoulder flaps formed of overlapping faces having registering upwardly inclined side edges and a. downwardly inclined bottom edge, the upwardly inclined side edges being substantially unattached and the bottom edge being closed and inclining downwardly toward the middle of the back of the coat whereby any rain that may find its way between the substantially unattached side edges will be drained downwardly and outwardly by the closed bottom edge to the ouside of the back of the coat and be prevented from passing to the interior of the coat. v

4. In an emergency rain coat made of waterproofed paper or the like, formed from a single sheet of paper having forwardly folded side portions and rearwardly folded angularly extended shoulder flaps, said shoulder flaps being of plural thickness and having upwardly inclined side edges having a slit-like opening therebetween and a closed bottom edge inclined downwardly toward the middle of the back of the coat whereby any water that may find its way between said side edges will be drained downwardly and outwardly by the closed bottom edge and be prevented from passing to the interior of the coat.

5. In an emergency rain coat made of waterproofed paper or the like, formed from a single sheet of paper having forwardly folded side portions and rearwardly folded angularly extended shoulder flaps, said shoulder flaps being of plural thickness and having upwardly inclined side edges having a slit-like opening therebetween and a closed bottom edge inclined downwardly toward the middle of the back of the coat whereby any water that may find its way between said side edges will be drained downwardly and outwardly by the closed bottom edge and be prevented from passing to the interior of the coat, and a staple or the like securing each of said shoulder flaps to the body of the coat to give added stiffness. JOHN R. BATES. 

